Sometimes you just have to get away for a bit, even if the trip is less than 24-hours. Lucky for me, living in Milwaukee gives me plenty of options for a quick road trip. Last weekend, we headed to Chicago. The main reason was to see Luke Combs at Soldier Field (obviously). But we made the most of our trip while we were there.
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
There are not really any hotels super close to Soldier Field (which is very annoying). We didn't want to pay a hundred bucks for an Uber, so we chose something within walking distance that looked like a decent spot. We really lucked out with The Congress Plaza Hotel. It has a lot of mixed reviews online, but we had a superb experience. It is very old fashioned in terms of decor, but the room was huge, the bed was comfy, and everything was very clean.
We arrived about an hour later than expected so didn't have time to do much except freshen up and make some pre-concert drinks. Luckily, the weather cooperated with us that day (for the most part) and we were able to walk to the concert. It was about a 1.2 mile walk, and the bulk of it was through Grant Park. I did not take any photos of Grant Park, but it was very well maintained and beautiful. There were plenty of sidewalks, statues, and other landmarks. I think Congress Plaza Hotel was one of the best options for walkability to Soldier Field. It took us a little over 20 minutes.
FOOD & DRINK
I had a cheese curd place picked out that I really wanted to visit, but unfortunately they opened too late for the timing to work out. Instead, I used Instagram to ask for recommendations, and we ended up at Fatpour Tap Works on Division Street. It looked like the restaurant was two stories, but there was a party on the top floor so it was blocked off. We were seated on the patio because we live in Wisconsin and I will take any patio opportunity that I can get. It took an exceptionally long time for the server to realize we were seated in his section, but when he did, the food came out quick.
We ordered some cheese curds that came with a side of "Fatpour Sauce" along with Elotes Dip as appetizers. I tried the Maple Bacon Burger with brussel sprouts, and Emily ordered the Ricotta and arugula pizza. Both meals were delicious. We were not obsessed with the cheese curds and the dip could have used more corn, but they were enjoyed nonetheless.
THINGS TO DO
As I mentioned previously, we were in Chicago for the Luke Combs concert. Emily doesn't believe in concerts, but told me that if Luke Combs was ever around, that is the one event she would pay for. So I immediately made sure we got tickets when his tour dates were released.
This was my first time at Soldier Field. It was nice - pretty much what I expected for a field. Our seats were in the 2nd level so we were fairly far away, but were able to see the screens really well and the sound was great. Beers at the field are more expensive than in Wisconsin (obviously), I think they were around $13 for something basic like a Miller Lite. It ended up being a pretty expensive night, and it rained for a few minutes, but I love Luke Combs so it was absolutely worth it.
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